WIST Quotations

Franklin, Benjamin -- Poor Richard (1739 ed.)

Dave — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 15:21:29 +0000

Kings and Bears often worry their Keepers.

Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard (1739 ed.)

Townsend, Robert -- Further Up the Organization (1984)

Dave — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 00:38:41 +0000

When you get right down to it, one of the most important tasks of a manager is to eliminate his people’s excuse for failure.

Robert Townsend (1920–1998) American business executive and author
Further Up the Organization (1984)

Drucker, Peter F. -- (Attributed)

Dave — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 21:52:01 +0000

Never push loyal people to the point where they don’t give a damn.

Peter F. Drucker (1909–2005) Austrian-American business consultant
(Attributed)

A close variant, sometimes identified with Drucker: "Never push a loyal person to the point where they no longer care."

Roosevelt, Theodore -- Speech, Binghamton, New York (24 Oct 1910)

Dave — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 16:34:17 +0000

The leader holds his position purely because he is able to appeal to the conscience and to the reason of those who support him, and the boss holds his position because he appeals to fear of punishment and hope of reward. The leader works in the open, and the boss in covert. The leader leads, and the boss drives.

Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American politician, statesman, conservationist, writer; US President (1901–09)
Speech, Binghamton, New York (24 Oct 1910)

Bennis, Warren -- Why Leaders Can’t Lead, ch. 2 (1989)

Dave — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 13:22:39 +0000

Leaders are people who do the right thing; managers are people who do things right. Both roles are critical, but they differ profoundly. I often observe people in top positions doing the wrong things well.

Warren Bennis (1925–2014) American scholar, business consultant, author
Why Leaders Can’t Lead, ch. 2 (1989)

Ackoff, Russell -- “The future of operational research is past,” The Journal of the Operational Research Society, Vol 30, pp.93-104. (1979)

Dave — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 12:29:23 +0000

Managers are not confronted with problems that are independent of each other, but with dynamic situations that consist of complex systems of changing problems that interact with each other. I call such situations messes. Problems are extracted from messes by analysis. Managers do not solve problems, they manage messes.

Russell L. Ackoff (1919–2009) American organizational theorist, consultant, management scientist
“The future of operational research is past,” The Journal of the Operational Research Society, Vol 30, pp.93-104. (1979)

Ackoff, Russell -- “Management Misinformation Systems,” Management Sciences (Dec 1967)

Dave — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 12:51:46 +0000

I do not deny that most managers lack a good deal of information that they should have, but I do deny that this is the most important informational deficiency from which they suffer. It seems to me that they suffer more from an overabundance of irrelevant information.

Russell L. Ackoff (1919–2009) American organizational theorist, consultant, management scientist
“Management Misinformation Systems,” Management Sciences (Dec 1967)

Brooks, Thomas -- Heaven on Earth (1654)

Dave — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 15:50:32 +0000

An excellent master is always better than an excellent law. Let your laws be ever so good, if the lawmakers are bad, all will come to nothing.

Thomas Brooks (1608–1680) English Puritan divine, writer
Heaven on Earth (1654)

Rickover, Hyman -- Speech (1981-11-05), “Doing a Job,” Egleston Medal Award Dinner, Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Science, New York

Dave — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:46:06 +0000

The man in charge must concern himself with details. If he does not consider them important, neither will his subordinates. Yet “the devil is in the details.” It is hard and monotonous to pay attention to seemingly minor matters. In my work, I probably spend about ninety-nine percent of my time on what others may call petty details. Most managers would rather focus on lofty policy matters. But when the details are ignored, the project fails. No infusion of policy or lofty ideals can then correct the situation.

Hyman Rickover (1900–1986) Polish-American naval engineer, admiral [b. Chaim Gdala Rykower]
Speech (1981-11-05), “Doing a Job,” Egleston Medal Award Dinner, Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Science, New York

Rickover, Hyman -- Speech (1981-11-05), “Doing a Job,” Egleston Medal Award Dinner, Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Science, New York

Dave — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:14:01 +0000

To do a job effectively, one must set priorities. Too many people let their “in” basket set the priorities. On any given day, unimportant but interesting trivia pass through an office; one must not permit these to monopolize his time. The human tendency is to while away time with unimportant matters that do not require mental effort or energy. Since they can be easily resolved, they give a false sense of accomplishment. The manager must exert self-discipline to ensure that his energy is focused where it is truly needed.

Rickover, Hyman -- Speech (1981-11-05), “Doing a Job,” Egleston Medal Award Dinner, Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Science, New York

Dave — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:23:27 +0000

It is a human inclination to hope things will work out, despite evidence or doubt to the contrary. A successful manager must resist this temptation. This is particularly hard if one has invested much time and energy on a project and thus has come to feel possessive about it. Although it is not easy to admit what a person once thought correct now appears to be wrong, one must discipline himself to face the facts objectively and make the necessary changes — regardless of the consequences to himself. The man in charge must personally set the example in this respect. He must be able, in effect, to “kill his own child” if necessary and must require his subordinates to do likewise.

Schwarzkopf, Norman -- Journal-World (27 March 1991)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

I admire men of character, and I judge character not by how men deal with their superiors, but mostly how they deal with their subordinates, and that, to me, is where you find out what the character of a man is.

Norman Schwarzkopf (1934–2012) American military leader
Journal-World (27 March 1991)